“Friendly or Unfriendly? ”– Promotion of Gender-Neutral Toilets and Its Challenges from the Perspective of University Students

• Main Authors: Hui-Yi Tsai, 蔡蕙憶
• Other Authors: 游淑華
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/34mnw3

碩士 === 台南應用科技大學 === 生活服務產業系生活應用科學碩士班 === 106 === We usually see toilets divided into male and female ones and can find gender-neutral ones in only very few settings. In recent years, the concept of ‘gender diversity’ has been promoted in the Taiwanese society. Therefore, the basic human need ‘going to the toilet’ has become the starting point for the promotion of gender diversity. The purpose of this study is namely to investigate the process of setting up gender-neutral toilets and associated challenges by gaining a deep understanding of hidden and unclear gender implications in this process from the perspective of university students and their subjective perceptions in this respect through field studies, media analysis and interviews with university students. This study was divided into three parts. The first part was collecting data of 19 target universities that had already set up gender-neutral toilets. Second, related media reports were obtained to be used as analytical materials. Finally, focus group interviews were conducted with university students. The research instruments included an interview outline, cameras and audio recorders. The collected data underwent content analysis for classification and generalization. Results show the following. (1) Promotion of gender-neutral toilets has not gained recognition from the university faculty and students. The main reasons include inability to break through the labeling effect, being bound by gender stereotypes, and poor toilet design etc. Nevertheless, the process of promoting gender-neutral toilets has resulted in the creation of new motifs and symbols for toilet signs and the change that privacy in male toilets has been respected. (2) Media reports related to gender-neutral toilets have propagated information concerning these toilets (e.g. naming, classification and partition of these toilets in new ways etc.), the concept of gender awareness (e.g. gender minority, gender diversity and promise for space etc.), positive and negative messages (e.g. reactions of university students, public concerns, parent opposition etc.). Moreover, media reports also reveal challenges of going to the toilet for transgender people, existence of gender-based bullying, and boycotts against gender-neutral toilets from community members. However, media reports also increase the likelihood of gender-neutral toilets being accepted. They use strong language, such as ‘language in the toilet’ and ‘toilet revolution’, to attract attention from the society and point out the advantages of these toilets. (3) Analysis of interviews with the university students shows that gender-neutral toilets can encourage university students to think about gender (e.g. becoming aware of labeling effect in toilets, sensing gender-based discrimination, perceiving gender diversity and experiencing surfacing conflicts etc.), reflect on their experiences of going to the toilet, and reveal their imaginations of gender-neutral toilets (e.g. fear of being peeped on, anxiety about men and women in the same toilets, and attitudes during the use of these toilets etc.). In addition, the university students also reveal their contemplations on promotion of gender-neutral toilets. Accordingly, this study unveils challenges in promotion of gender-neutral toilets and gender awareness behind it that are learned from field studies, media analysis and focus group interviews and these can serve as lessons for continuation of gender promotion in the future and references for gender education.